Benin Armed Forces
United States | exports= | imports= | histories= | ranks= }} The Benin Armed Forces (FAB) constitutes the army, navy, air force, and national gendarmerie of Benin. For a number of years, the Belgian Armed Forces have had an active programme of co-operation with Benin, offering training and coaching, donating redundant military equipment and using the county for limited military exercises.Mathurin C. Houngnikpo, Samuel Decalo, Historical Dictionary of Benin, 78. Army in June 2009]] As of 2012, the Army has a strength of 4300. It includes 1 armoured squadron, 3 infantry battalions, 1 commando/airborne battalion, 1 artillery battery, and 1 engineer battalion. Equipment Small Arms *Pistols **TT pistolJane's Infantry Weapons 2007 *Sub-machine guns **MAT-49 *Rifles **AKM **AK-47 **Type 56 assault riflePhoto Details. Marines.mil (16 June 2009). Retrieved on 2012-05-20. **MAS-49 **SKS **MAS-36 *Machine guns **AA-52 **RP-46 **RPD **DShK **M2 HB Browning *Anti-tank **RPG-7 *Mortars **Brandt 60 mm LR Gun-mortar Vehicles Air Force After achieving independence from France in 1960 the Benin Airforce was transport equipped with seven French-supplied Douglas C-47s, four MH.1521 Broussards and two Agusta-Bell 47Gs. Two F-27s were entered service in 1978 for transport duties before being transferred to Air Benin. Also during the same era two AN-26s were acquired. In late 1985 two Dornier Do-28s entered service to replace the C-47s. A single DHC-6 Twin Otter was acquired in 1989. The Benin Air Force maintains a small transport and utility fleet of 14 aircraft, including seven helicopters. ! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align:left; background: #aabccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|In serviceAviation Week & Space Technology 2009, 26 January 2009 240. Web.11 August 2009. .Airliners.net ! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Notes |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Helicopters |----- | Agusta A109 | | scout/attack helicopter | A109HO | 2 | 5 delivered |----- | Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil | | utility helicopter | AS 350B | 1 | 2 AS-350B+1 AS-355M delivered |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transports |----- | Boeing 727 |United States | VIP-transport | 727-256 Adv. | 1 | Acquired from Iberia and modified in 2007/08. |----- | British Aerospace HS.748 | | transport | HS.748 | 1 | 2 delivered |----- | de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | | transport | DHC-6-300 | 1 | |----- | Dornier Do 28 | | utility | Do.28D-2 | 2 | |----- | Douglas DC-3 |United States | transport | C-47B | 2 | 8 delivered |----- | Aero Commander |United States | transport | 500B | 1 | |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Surveillance |----- | LH-10 Ellipse | | Surveillance | Grand Duc | 2Afrique, Benin, Aeronautique, un avion pour la surveillance active, 21 November 2010 | In service 2011 |} Beninese Air Force also has two An-26s, and one Boeing 707, but these are currently grounded.Beninese military aviation OrBat Navy As at 2012 the navy has a strength of approximately 200 personnel. It operates two ex-Chinese patrol boats, which are designated the Matelot Brice Kpomasse class. References ;Works consulted * Category:Military of Benin